The Bombay High Court has ordered the Maharashtra government to allow admission to MBA on the basis of GMAT, MAT, ATMA and XAT scores, according to an NDTV report. The court stayed a March circular issued by the state government that said scores in these national-level entrance exams would not be valid for admission to MBA programmes in state-owned institutions.

The circular had mandated aspirants to appear for at least one of three exams — MAH MBA/MMS CET (MS-CET), GMAT or CAT — to be eligible. As per the Bombay High Court order, this policy will not be implemented from this academic year (2020-21) but “may operate from the next academic year 2021-22”.

The HC also said that the action taken by the state government is “abrupt and arbitrary and violative of the petitioners’ rights under Article 14 of the Constitution”, according to another report.

A petition was filed in the high court by aspirants of postgraduate management courses in Maharashtra against the enforcement of the state circular on grounds of the right to equality.

They noted that the AIMS Test for Management Admission (ATMA) 2020 held on July 6 was considered for admission to such courses until March 16. They also argued that they were not aware that the ATMA was no longer a valid test for admissions and that the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MS-CET) was held on March 14 and 15, that is, before the government circular was issued.

The Bombay High Court has also directed the state government to consider the petitioners’ eligibility for admission on the basis of ATMA, XAT, MAT, GMAT examinations for the admission process being undertaken for the current academic year 2020-21.

The last date of MHT CET counselling 2020 registration is December 15, 2020. The provision MHT CET merit list will be released on December 18, 2020.